Lex was extremely curious to see what Roach was hiding underneath Ritual. It seemed all the rumors had heard were true. Whispers weren’t her specialty, so she took a real gamble opening up to Roach. The whiskey, no doubt, helped with that. Lex also got extremely lucky she didn’t make a fool out of herself and didn’t go barking up the wrong tree. She took a risk, and it seemed to have paid off for the both of them.

She made sure to follow closely behind Roach. At first, the secret area of Ritual looked a lot like what she was used to. The familiar, heavy scent of cigars weighed in the air while the smoke hung in whisps in the dull lighting. It was a bit underwhelming, but there was more

And more.

It felt like a never ending series of doors and turns until Roach finally stopped and addressed her, “Our little secret,” she promised in a playful whisper with a small grin. He released a Malamar to reveal the way.

Lex was met with a puff of cold air. The hair on her bare arms rose and body stiffened. She watched a string of light flicker on into the dark void of the tunnel, “Huh, no shit,” she commented, staring off towards the other end of the tunnel, “Look like you’ve got a nice little thing goin on here,” she stepped further into the tunnel, placing her hands on her hips, “I’m impressed,” not like he was looking for her approval or anything.

“Alright,” she responded to his offer to check out the beach. She moved towards the two vehicles, assuming they weren’t going to walk all the way there.

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Lex watched the Mandbuzz disappear down the tunnel, nodding as Roach spoke. Smart. She used her Braviary in a similar manner. The eagle’s Keen Eyes were a valuable asset to her team as a sentinel, always having her back.

The sedan was worse than the old truck. Lex was afraid the thing wouldn’t even run when she climbed in with a frown. She settled into the seat, casually hanging an arm out the open window as Roach fired it up. The cold tunnel air whipped into the vehicle interior, sending a fresh shiver through her. The unexpected speed tossed her scarlet hair wildly around her face, forcing her to tame it by combing her fingers through it.

“Huh?” at first it was hard to make out what Roach was asking over the roar of the old vehicle’s engine echoing off the tunnel’s walls. After a moment of consideration, she understood the question.

Now, how to answer that. Despite having heard about it through Rocket, she wasn’t about to admit that. The organization was quite secretive, even if they worked closely with Roach. Perhaps he could make his own assumptions . . . but his track record for assumptions about Lex wasn’t quite a good example, “We have . . . mutual friends,” she grinned, deciding to leave it at that.

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Of course, that answer wasn’t satisfying. She could feel the mild frustration in the side-eyed glance she received while he took a long drag from his cigarette. Her lips tightened, body tensing as the silence set in. Lex was good at reading people. And with the whiskey starting to ware off, she started picking up on the subtle hints. She could see his mind working through a few thoughts – likely none of them good. Afterall, she was being difficult.

Lex should have put on her seatbelt on. The car’s sudden decrease in speed sent her lurching forward. Fast reflexes, not even phased by a mild buzz, brought her forearms up to the dashboard to keep her from smacking into it. Momentum snapped her back into the seat with a sharp breath.

Fingers curled around the handle, an icy glare shifting towards Roach. So, he wanted to play like that?

This wasn’t the first time, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last, someone had tried to shake Lex down. Much to Roach’s irritation, it wouldn’t be that easy.

Really, she didn’t have much of a choice. The consequences of Rocket finding out she even mentioned the name out loud would be far worse than whatever Roach could cook up. Although she lived in a pretty much constant state of fear and anxiety, that was the only thing she feared. There was nothing else left for her to lose. And in all honesty, as long as it wasn’t Kaito that took her out, she’d be happy. She couldn’t let the man have that satisfaction.

The grin across her red lips spoke volumes, “Lots of people to talk to then, huh?” the hint of a tease bled through the stubbornness.

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His eye remained forward, fixated on the dark road ahead of them. Her lips pursed when she noticed the car drifting without the encouragement of the gas pedal. There was still no end in sight, only darkness. Why slow the car down? The threatening nature of the previous tactic still hung heavy in the air. But not as heavy as the next words.

The right price.

A set of now wild amber eyes flashed to her left, only one thing coming to the front of Lex’s mind.

He knew

How could she be so fucking stupid? The weight of their situation suddenly hit her all at once. Get her drunk, gain her trust, get her in a dark, lonely tunnel . . . For all she knew Kaito was waiting at the end of this thing.

“You can’t,” And I can’t trust you, a bitter realization that turned a knot in her stomach. Lex bided her time, waiting for the car to reach a speed she was comfortable enough with rolling out (wouldn’t be the first time). A hand slowly moved towards the door’s handle.

A quick pop and Lex was gone.

The initial impact of the ground knocked the wind out of her but after a few rolls across the dirt, a sharp inhale brought it right back and she was on her feet, sprinting down the tunnel in no time. She wasn’t ready to die – not today.

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His deep voice echoed through the tunnel, but it was lost in the rush of wind, heavy breathing, and wild thoughts racing through her head. Desperation fueled the release of adrenaline, pushing her legs faster. Even as the roar of the sedan approaching in reverse, she didn’t let up. A survival instinct made people do some crazy things.

Yeah, what the hell was she doing? Good question, Roach. She didn’t have a clue either. Lex was running on pure adrenaline and instinct at the moment. Rational thought was reserved for those special occasions she didn’t think her life was in danger.

Wild eye stole a glance at him, narrow in suspicion but an unmistakable fear clouded her judgement. Fine. Other way.

Lex disappeared from beside the sedan that was conveniently rolling along at her pace. A loud creak and gentle rock of the car would clue Roach into her new location. Feet could be heard climbing over the roof. A flash of light broke through the darkness, a loud screech disrupting the roar of the engine.

The last he’d see of Lex was her shadow leaping onto the back of a Braviary before a TAILWIND boosted them forward into the darkness of the tunnel.

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Son of a bitch . . . she forgot about the Mandibuzz.

Aubie’s Keen Eyes spotted his female counterpart in the darkness. The tunnel may have been wide enough for the vehicle, but two large birds of prey? Not so much room to dodge. The buzzard’s loud screech was met with Aubie’s own challenging cry. His body shifted, taking the brunt of the KNOCK OFF to spare Lex the pain of the attack.

Lex’s thighs gripped the Braviary firmly, fingers tangled in his soft plumage. She braced, but it wasn’t enough. The momentum of the collision knocked her right off Aubie’s back. The redhead tucked and rolled, similar to the way she left the vehicle. This time however, the roll was out of control. She bounced along the cavern floor, spinning until the wall of the tunnel stopped her progress with a numbing thump.

The fall left her more dazed than usual. A sharp inhale brought the air rushing back into her lungs. She propped herself up on her elbows, a sharp cough stung her aching body. A hand rubbed the back of her head, a soft groan left scarlet lips as she slowly picked up the pieces of her scattered senses.

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